CRE-AF media: an alternative agar for screening of Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE)

Rohaidah Hashim¹, Alex Lourdes Francis², Zahrul Laili Abd Hadi², Nor Dhiana Abdullah², Surianti Shukor¹, Fairuz Amran¹ and Nor azah Ahmad¹

1. Bacteriology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2. Microbiology Unit, Pathology Department, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh, 30450 Perak, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: Rohaidah Hashim, Bacteriology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CITATION: Hashim R, Francis AL, Abd Hadi ZL, Abdullah ND, Shukor S, Amran F, et al. CRE-AF media: an alternative agar for screening of Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE). International Medical Research Journal. 2021 Jun;7(1):73–80.

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ABSTRACT
Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE) is a significant health threat world-wide. The ability to detect the organism early is of utmost importance to ensure proper delivery of treatment as well as implementation of infection control measure to curb further spread of the infection. CRE-AF media was developed to ease and fasten the screening and detection process of CPE pathogens. The goal of this testing was to evaluate the performance of CRE-AF media as a screening tool for CPE organisms. Hence, a total of 96-Gram negative organisms ranging from CPE, non-CPE, Carbapenemases producing non-Enterobacteriales and Bukholderia pseudomallei were selectively chosen to determine the ability of the agar to detect carbapenemases producer and to either inhibit or differentiate the growth of non-CPE organisms. The presence of CPE was specified by the growth of yellow colonies with haze formation around them after 24 hours of incubation. Our finding indicated that CRE-AF was a suitable screening tool for the detection of CPE. The agar was reported to exhibit 92% sensitivity and 93.4% specificity and hence, can be used by laboratory for early detection of CPE.

KEYWORDS: Carbapenemases Producing Enterobacteriales, gram-negative bacteria, screening, laboratory detection